****
Desperate to beat Russia in the race to the moon, NASA look to the previously unrecognised talents of the African-American women in their employ, namely Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and brilliant mathematician Katherine G. Johnson.
Maybe it's do to with my morbid choice in film, or possibly because every movie is somewhat downbeat at the moment, but I can't remember the last time I came out of a cinema with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. That is, not until I saw Hidden Figures. With the odds stacked against them, this is the story of three exceptional women (played by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae respectively) who take on a discriminatory world and win. Packed with fist-pumping moments, tear-inducing scenes and a script that walks the difficult line between portraying racism and providing jolts of humour, director Theodore Melfi has created an entertaining and educational film that all age groups can enjoy. With three strong, yet wholly believable women at the centre, the plot tells of a country-wide bid that went on to inspire years of incredible space exploration, and if that doesn't give you a tingle at the back of your spine, nothing will.
Taking the events of the Oscars last night into consideration, Hidden Figures was never going to win Best Picture. Whilst it tells an important story, it is told in a straight forward, methodical way that doesn't jump from time frame to time frame. Similarly, the outcome is almost too positive - it seems to suggest that discrimination against black woman (and men, of course) was solved by the events of this film, and we are even guided to feel compassion with members of staff who had previously thwarted the three main characters. Indeed, it needed to be somewhat more hard-hitting in places. Also, I take issue with a soundtrack guiding me to feel a certain way at certain points - I don't need to hear the swell of trumpets when someone is delivering an empowering speech to be moved by it.
A fist-pumping, 'hell yeah' film of empowerment in the face of adversity, Hidden Figures is awash with soul stirring speeches, soaring theme music and plenty of 'you go, girl' moments. Undoubtedly an important story of incredible achievement and feminist ideology, it wears it's emotions on it's sleeve throughout, making for an easy, yet educational and life-affirming, watch.
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